Very few had Kimi Antonelli down to win the 2026 F1 championship in pre-season, but F1 legend Alain Prost has shared what has surprised him the most about the young Italian’s title-winning campaign.

After it became apparent that Mercedes would begin F1’s new era of technical regulations with the class-leading car, many tipped George Russell to run away with the world championship.

The seven-time world champion put up a valiant effort in the first half of the season before Ferrari began to trip over themselves week after week, but that certainly doesn’t take anything away from Antonelli’s career-defining feat.

With the world championship now firmly in his hands, Alain Prost has applauded F1’s latest title-winner and outlined just how ‘surprised’ he was by the 20-year-old’s ability to adapt to the sport’s new ruleset.

Alain Prost has been ‘surprised’ by Kimi Antonelli’s ability to adapt quickly to the 2026 F1 regulations

In a recent interview with L’Equipe, the four-time world champion commended Antonelli for his exploits this season, highlighting how impressed he was by the Mercedes star’s ability to win a world championship at such a young age.

He also believes that Antonelli’s prowess this year can be attributed to the new ruleset, saying: “Antonelli’s success can also be explained by the new regulations. At 20, Kimi might even have a sort of advantage, especially when it comes to energy management.”

However, there was still plenty more for the Bologna-born driver to get his head around, and that’s what struck Prost the most.

“Normally, in the past and right up to now, when you were very young like Kimi, it still took a bit of time to adapt to the system,” he continued, before adding: “Not for him. That’s what surprises me the most. You get the impression he’s an old veteran.”

Antonelli’s victory at the Monaco Grand Prix in June was a prime example of that, according to Prost: “I didn’t see even the slightest mistake from him throughout the whole weekend, and yet I followed everything: free practice, qualifying, the race.

“Those are situations where, when you’re pushing hard, when you’re going for pole position or victory, mistakes happen quickly. Him? Nothing!”

The praise from Prost will likely resonate a lot with Antonelli, given his infatuation with the Frenchman’s former fierce arch-nemesis in F1: Ayrton Senna.

The Italian has spoken of his admiration for the three-time world champion in the past, and will even continue to adorn #12 on his Mercedes F1 car next year out of respect for Senna, even though #1 is now available to him through his title-winning feat.